UKS2 Topic: Earliest Civilisations: The Indus Valley Block A: Introduction

Learn where the civilisation fits on a world history timeline. Discover the location of the civilisation; learn about the terrain and climate of the Indus Valley and explore some theories that historians use to explain why the Indus Valley civilisation ended.

Block A: Indus Valley
Introduction
[4 Sessions] / Main outcome: History
Other outcomes: Geography and English
By the end of this block you will have achieved the following outcomes: / ·  Know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations; the expansion and dissolution of empires; characteristic features of past non-European societies; achievements and follies of mankind.
·  Gain and deploy a historically grounded understanding of abstract terms such as ‘civilisation’.
·  Understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance, and use them to make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, frame historically-valid questions and create their own structured accounts, including written narratives and analyses.
·  Gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history; between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history, and between short- and long-timescales.
·  Identify the audience for and purpose of the writing, selecting the appropriate form.
·  Note and develop initial ideas, drawing on reading and research where necessary
·  Select appropriate grammar and vocabulary.
·  Use further organisational and presentational devices to structure text and to guide the reader.
·  Articulate and justify arguments and opinions.
·  Give well-structured explanations for different purposes.
·  Listen and respond appropriately to their peers.
·  Use spoken language to develop understanding.
·  Participate in role play.
·  Ask questions to improve their understanding.
·  Locate the world’s countries, using maps and focussing on their environmental regions and key physical characteristics.
·  Use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features.
·  Describe and understand key aspects of physical and human geography.
Session 1: History and English
Back in time
Learn where the Indus Valley civilisation fits on a world history timeline; compare what the terrain, climate and society was like in Britain at the start of the Indus Valley civilisation; add significant dates & events to a world history timeline. / Children will:
·  Place the Indus Valley civilisation on a world history timeline
·  Describe what society was like in Britain at the start of the Indus Valley civilisation
·  Describe the terrain and climate of Britain at the start of the Indus Valley civilisation
·  Add significant dates and events to a world history timeline
Session 2: History and Geography
Snapshot
Discover where the Indus Valley civilisation was located; Label maps of the Indus Valley and its surroundings; learn about the terrain and climate of the Indus Valley. / Children will:
·  Be able to explain where the Indus Valley civilisation was located
·  Be able to label maps of the Indus Valley and its surroundings
·  Describe the terrain and climate of the Indus Valley
Session 3: History and English
End of Indus Valley civilisation
(to be taught with Session 4 after the other blocks) / Children will:
·  Explain some theories that historians use to explain why the Indus Valley civilisation ended
·  Use role play to act out moving away from the Indus Valley
·  Understand that the Indus River still regularly floods
Session 4: History and English
The Aryans
(to be taught with Session 3 after the other blocks) / Children will:
·  Discover more theories that historians use to explain why the Indus Valley civilisation ended
·  Write questions that historians would really like to be able to answer!
·  Summarise the theories about the ending of the Indus Valley civilisation

Resources

Session 1

Provided: Timeline: Earliest Civilisations, Timeline Cards, Map of the Indus Valley civilisation; Ancient civilisations of the world map, world map.

You will need: Access to the internet; String, pegs for washing line timeline; Thin card, laminator; Globe, world map; Information books about the Neolithic era in Britain.

Session 2

Provided: Maps of the Indus Valley civilisation and Indian Subcontinent.

You will need: Access to the internet; Globe, world map, atlases.

Session 3

Provided: Maps showing Ganges and Yamuna River Valleys.

You will need: Access to the internet; Maps from Sessions 1 & 2 and/or atlases.

Session 4

Provided: Photographs of skeletons found at Mahenjo-Daro.

You will need: Access to the internet; Information books about the Indus Valley civilisation.

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